Trying not to break the bank....

Well the title implies what we were trying to do.

Backstory:
We've been looking for a new convertible car seat...why? you ask...because our precious little lady is out growing her carry-all that we've had since she came home. The other reason is that for about a month, we've given Krissy our spare base so she could run an errand or two with Reese during the day. I know what some folks are thinking...you let Krissy drive Reese around....yep. She has three kids of her own and she hasn't caused lasting damage to either of hers and I'm sure the motherly instinct is always in gear whether in the car or in the kitchen. So, my car has been baby free for a week or so and we needed to fix that. The other thing is that a stroller is becoming a little more desirable for Reese and carrying her in the other car seat is a pain since she weighs 19lbs. now....talk about a work out lifting her tail all over the place. All this equals...convertible car seat.

Shopping for a new seat is a ROYAL pain. What's safe, what's easy, what's cheap? Mind you...if it meant taking a new mortgage to keep Reese safe, we would do that but it doesn't so we shopped price and compatibility and what basically made sense.

Every book you read seems to recommend Britax carriers...another Dr. Brown conspiracy? I sort of thought so and that meant that we were ready to buck the trend. We were prepared to set out on our own and find something cost efficient (at least more so than the Britax) and user friendly. And so we did....we bought a Graco car seat that you saw in the photo the other day.....It was perfect. Little sippy cup holders, nice padding, side impact tested, neat color......oh, and impeccable safety from Graco 'cause they don't make junk.

that's beautiful...what is it? Velvet?
FAST FORWARD:
I'm running around like crazy yesterday trying to leave on time for the 'Hoon and I'm installing this seat. I wrestled this thing like crazy trying to get it in and then finally realized that I hadn't read the de-structions all that clearly and probably cost myself a good 15 minutes of garbage wrestling in the heat of the day in my car....Dear Lord, I sweateth. And I spake foul words in succession.

Finally, I get the seat installed....got the car loaded for the boil....and Reese is ready to load. But now, the straps won't tighten around pumpkin. We reach in to trip the strap so it will pull and you can loosen the straps but no can pull. Nothing....Seriously? Lord.....really? Did I say THAT many four letter words? I'm sorry....please make this thing work...............................please. Nothing. I might as well have been pulling an elephant from under this seat, it wasn't going to happen. I unlatch the seat....look at it...it moves a little now but not much. By this time, I'm in red-ass mode which means I'm slightly less savory than swift kick in the throat. Kim is probably ready to jerk a knot in my previously mentioned red-ass and this seat that we were so proud of having bucked the system on - is a piece....(and whatever "of" you care to...I preferred something akin to caca yesterday.)

We could have bought TWO of these seats for the cost of ONE Britax but if this seat bites and is un-user friendly, why bother.

Guess what we did today? We spent the money on the Britax. Lord.....Please forgive my foul mouth and thank you for making our path clear.....They rank this stuff high for a reason and then price it that way because it would be too much for something to work as designed if it costs less than our first born. We were trying to do the right thing but in the end, we needed to see for ourselves.

I'm not buying two more of these things for Kim and then Krissy as well or we will have to mortgage the house. We spendeth too much.

All for you Reese.....all for you. Mwaaa